By Order of the Hokage
by Mistress Taru
Summary: Kakashi, now the Sixth Hokage, visits Gai in the hospital for the first time since the war ended. This is super angsty and I actually cried writing this. I'm sorry.


By Order of the Hokage

:::

"How is he?" Kakashi asked Lady Tsunade as they walked briskly down the hospital corridor.

"Do you have to go so fast?" She asked. "And don't think you can boss me around just because you're the Hokage, now." Tsunade looked in his eyes, both of them normal now, what his eyes used to be. However, she could see the worry in them for his best friend. She took a deep breath. "His strength will recover and his skin is healed, but his right leg… it's beyond repair, Kakashi."

"…I assume he refused Hashirama's cells." The 6th Hokage commented quietly.

"Yes." She smirked sadly. "He said something like, 'my shinobi days are finished; save them for someone who really needs them.'"

"Goddamn that bastard." But Kakashi understood, since Gai no longer could use the Eight Gates. He hated it, but he understood. They were now in front of Gai's room. "Thank you. I'd like to see him alone for a while, if you don't mind."

"Alright." Lady Tsunade nodded before heading back down the hall. Kakashi entered the room and locked the door behind him.

"Eternal Rival!" He heard an ever booming voice shout happily. He turned toward the voice. Gai was sitting upright, leaning against some pillows, smiling stupidly like always. He had a few bandages here and there, and a huge cast on his right leg, being held up by a stirrup. "Congratulations on becoming Hokage!"

"Gai… thanks." Seeing his lover like this was tearing him apart. He quickly stepped over to the privacy curtain and drew it out so no one could see them as they spoke. He took a seat on the stool and pulled his mask down. "H-How are you?" He asked politely even though he already knew, his voice shaking.

"I'm feeling as youthful as ever!" Gai gave a thumbs up with the hand that had the IV inside it. Now Gai could see the worry and hurt in Kakashi's matching eyes (which were still beautiful). "I'm sorry, Kakashi."

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" The 6th Hokage asked, bewildered.

"Well, for a lot of things… firstly, about Obito. You lost him again."

"Yes. And I'm sorry about Neji. He was a top-notch ninja, after all, he's your student."

"Yes. And both were proud men with strong resolve. I am sure that they would not regret their decisions." Gai swallowed his pending tears. He had already cried so much for his precious student. "I assume Lady Tsunade told you of my condition."

"She did." Kakashi looked down at the wrapped-up leg. "She also told me of your choice to not take Hashirama's cells."

"It's the second thing I'm sorry for." Gai smiled guiltily.

"You…" The Copy Ninja inhaled slowly. "I would like for you to walk again, at the very least. But I understand why you won't take the cells. So… don't be sorry about the decision you made, unless you regret it."

"Well maybe something else will come along that could fix this leg." The Blue Beast said. "But Hashirama's cells are for important emergencies, and this is not an emergency." Kakashi nodded slowly, trying to convince himself that Gai was right. "The third and final thing I need to apologize for… is nearly leaving you, even though I promised not to." Kakashi went wide-eyed. "Also, for not properly saying goodbye to you, since we promised to keep our relationship secret. But, I guess that doesn't matter, since I'm not dead; I can't do anything right, not even die, huh?" He laughed at his own morbid joke.

"What… What would you have said?" The white-haired man asked quietly. Gai didn't quite understand, or he didn't hear what he said. "How would you have said goodbye?" He asked louder.

"Oh…" Gai thought for a second. "I would have apologized, kissed you, and told you I love you, and hopefully you would feel my love with you for the rest of your days." Kakashi stared at Gai, speechless; or rather, if he were to try to talk, he would have started to cry. But the tears came anyway. For the first time since he saw his father dead, Kakashi Hatake cried. "Kakashi?!" The Beast was alarmed, because he had never seen his Eternal Love cry before, maybe some tears of physical pain, but not ones of sorrow. He wanted to jump up and wrap himself protectively around him, but he couldn't do that because of his damned leg. Instead, Kakashi came to him, wrapping his arms around him and crying in his chest, over his thankfully beating heart. Gai in turn put his arms around his friend and lover.

"Damn you, Gai." Kakashi said between sniffles. "I wouldn't have minded… if you had said goodbye to me that way… because I understood that you needed to do that… to fight Madara…" He caught his breath. "You promised not to die for something stupid. But that wouldn't have been a stupid thing. So it was okay, you don't need to apologize… but it's true, you can't even die right, so… you're not getting another chance." He looked up at Gai, his eyes red and puffy and his face covered in tears. "By order of the Hokage, you're not allowed to die again. Not until we're old and crusty. Also, we don't have to keep our relationship secret anymore. Do you understand?"

"Yes… yes, my Eternal Love." Gai was crying now, too. "I won't leave you again. I love you, Kakashi."

"I love you too, Gai. So much." Kakashi kissed Gai sweetly, but he had to pull away soon since he was out of breath from crying. "I'm so proud of you, Gai. You really kicked his ass. You were awesome."

"Thank you, Kakashi. I only wish I could have seen your amazing battle with the Rabbit Goddess. Won't you please tell me that story?"

"Sure." Kakashi smiled, sitting up and wiping his tears away, about to tell a tale that most would find epic. But to the 6th Hokage, no tale was more epic than the tale of love he shared with the Noble Blue Beast of Konoha, Maito Gai.

:::

 **A/N:** Sorry for this, guys. Guess I feel angsty. This is the end of the series, although I might still write more GaiKaka fics in the future. (It's likely since I can't seem to stop writing about these adorable fucks). To my FF readers, the other parts of this series are posted on Archive of our Own. I can't post them on FF because of their hot and sexual nature. Happy New Year, and go celebrate GaiKaka Week on Tumblr!


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